John,

MAJOR NEWS: Sixteen states, led by Washington State, filed an amicus brief before the Supreme Court last week, urging the nation’s highest court to review our landmark case seeking to end super PACs in US elections. Six U.S. Senators, led by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, filed a separate brief in support of Supreme Court review of the case. The case, Lieu v. Federal Election Commission, brought on behalf of Members of Congress and congressional candidates, directly challenges the 2010 federal appeals court ruling in SpeechNow.org v. FEC, which led directly to the creation of super PACs. 

The states joining the amicus brief include: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington State, as well as the District of Columbia.

The U.S. Senators joining the amicus brief include: Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Senator Thomas Udall of New Mexico, Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.

Over the past ten years, big money forces have used super PACs to influence elections, further corrupt our political process, overwhelm the voices of everyday people, defeat public interest laws, and foster political inequality. With our pathbreaking case, we are presenting for the first time to the Supreme Court the opportunity to end super PACs in US elections and help restore democracy to the people. To read the amicus briefs, and for more information about the case, visit freespeechforpeople.org/lieu.

Share on Facebook and Twitter if you agree: It’s time to abolish super PACs.

Super PACs weren’t created by Congress, or the U.S. Supreme Court—they were created by a lower court decision, based on faulty assumptions, that has never been reviewed or revisited. We look forward to giving the Supreme Court the opportunity to reverse the SpeechNow decision so we can rebuild our democracy. We’re grateful for the support of these friends of the Court who recognize the importance of this case. And we are thankful for you, because your support for Free Speech For People makes possible our continued fight to end big money in our elections at this critical moment for our democracy. Thank you for standing with us.

In solidarity,

Free Speech For People